As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,420,238; 3,599,644; 4,392,500; and 4,805,640; the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse straw walker mechanisms for combines.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, these patented devices are uniformly deficient in their throughput and efficiency relative to the volume of the crop that can be processed in a given time relative to the yield that is produced thereby.
As is the case with virtually all straw walker arrangements, the straw walker comprises in general oscillating straw rack grids that are positioned downstream of the rotating cylinder of the threshing portion of the combine; wherein, the straw walker further separates the grain from the straw or stalk material.
In most conventional arrangements the straw walker comprises a series of grids or sections normally including a front section followed by at least a second, third, fourth, and fifth section. Obviously additional sections can be incorporated into the combine depending on the length of the straw walker portion of the combine.
Unfortunately, to date the accepted thinking has been that the straw walker section should only contain saw tooth segments formed integrally with the longitudinal sides of the individual sections; wherein, the stem lengths of straw or stalks are unsupported along the width of the individual sections.
Not only does this arrangement lead to an accumulation of debris, that tends to clog the apertures in the straw grid sections resulting in periodic shut downs of the combine to clear the apertures; but it also tends to increase the total number of individual sections required to effectively separate the grain from the stalks or straw resulting in longer and more expensive straw walker portions.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for an improved straw walker apparatus that provides an aggressive approach to the separating function of the straw walker via the incorporation of additional saw toothed segments onto the individual straw walker sections; and, the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.